Internet services suspended in parts of Balochistan: Ministry seeks countrywide VPNs blockage

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block illegal virtual private networks (VPNs) citing their use by terrorists to facilitate violent activities and curb access to unlawful online content.

The Interior Ministry has written a letter to the chairman PTA regarding the blockage of illegal VPNs.

The letter says that the VPNs are increasingly being exploited by the terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan.

Off late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein, VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications. VPNs are also being used for discreetly accessing pornographic and blasphemous contents, it says.

The letter says that Pakistan is considered as one of the leading countries in terms of visiting porn sites using VPNs, however, these trends warrants prohibition of unauthorised VPNs to address the critical threats. It is, therefore, requested to block illegal VPNs across Pakistan so that legitimate/registered VPN users may not affect, it says, adding that in addition, registration of VPNs with PTAmay be made till November 30.

Following the Ministry’s directive, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed on Friday that the mobile phone internet services in parts of Balochistan had been suspended temporarily.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024